Dec 25, 2015

I came across this story from a
Christmas Eve Pageant of years ago. The writer was a member of a church youth
group at the time.

I was chosen to play Joseph and believe
it or not, my future wife, Allison, was chosen to play Mary. We did our parts
with seriousness and commitment, looking as pious as possible. And then it came
time for the shepherds to enter. The choir was singing “While Shepherds Watched
Their Flocks by Night” and some of our fellow young people dressed in flannel
bathrobes and appropriate headgear proceeded to the altar steps where Allison
and I looked reverently at the straw, which contained a naked light bulb. With
his back to the congregation, one of our peer shepherds said in a very loud
whisper for all the cast to hear, “Well, Joe, when you gonna pass out cigars?”

The spell of that occasion was not
simply broken by his remark, it was exploded. Our Mary and Joseph cover was
completely destroyed as it became impossible to hold back the bursts of
laughter. The chief angel, standing on a chair behind us was the worst. She
shook so hard that she fell off her chair and simply rolled over on the floor,
holding her stomach. The strains of “Silent Night” or “0 Little Town of
Bethlehem” were sufficient to cover the uncontrolled snorts of the main
characters. Our much upset but good-sported youth advisor said, “The only thing
that didn't go to pieces was the light bulb in the manger, it never went out.”

The light in/from the manger never
goes out! This, my friends, is a first-rate image for our days (Hebrews 1:1).

Prayer:“All Knowing
God, give us the hope we need in the light of Jesus.” Amen.

Talk time:Ask your family
what their favorite memory of Christmas was.

Love during Advent: Encourage your family to work for a day
at a homeless shelter or at Salvation Army.

Dec 18, 2015

Years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the
effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. The researchers placed two sets
of laboratory rats in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in
the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. They periodically
lifted other rats out of the water and then returned them. When that happened,
the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. 1Why?

Not because they were given a rest, but because they
suddenly had hope! Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat
just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds
such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should its effect be on our
lives? Our hope resides in the promise that “in these last days God has spoken
to us by a Son” (Hebrews 1:1).

Prayer: “Gracious
God, come again and give us the promise of hope in Jesus.” Amen.

Talk time: Ask your
children what God thinks about Christmas.

Love during Advent: Let your family make some gifts and
visit a home for the aged.

Dec 11, 2015

Most of us, like Mary, live un-amazing and uneventful lives.
But that is where God lives with us. Jesus was willing to accept the lowliest
of births, an ordinary, mundane, and obscure life, and the lowest, most
degrading form of death—death on a cross. Why did Jesus do that? Jesus died
such a death to fulfill his mother’s song before his birth: “the Mighty One has
done great things” for you and for me.

Millions of people this year and every year will sing carols
about the savior of the world and yet have no room for Jesus in their lives,
just as there was no room at the inn on the night of his birth. Each Christmas
God gives us the opening to do something wonderful for ourselves and our souls.
Receive Jesus and make room in your heart for him, and enable him to enable you
to love others.

Prayer:“Lord, during
this season, help us remember your gift of mercy.” Amen.

Dec 4, 2015

My friend Will Willimon, professor
at Duke and Bishop of the UMC wrote this a few years ago and I share it with
you:

A
Christmas story, can’t remember where I heard it, but I tell it to you as you begin
your own celebration of Christmastide.

There
was a time when all the angels where gathered about the heavenly throne for a
discussion. Things were in a mess down on earth. (What else is new?) The
Creator had become concerned about the state of the Creation–wars, fighting,
famine, bloodshed all over.

“I’ve
tried everything,” God complained. “I have spoken to them some of the most
beautiful words they could ever hope to hear. Think of the glorious Psalms, the
hymns, the poetic passages of Isaiah. They love to read about peace and
goodwill, but they don’t like to live it!”

God
continued, “Then I sent them the prophets. They love Isaiah, the promises of
release from their sufferings, freedom from their exile. But do they follow the
precepts of the prophets about justice and righteousness rolling down like
waters? Never!”

There
was widespread discussion of the sad state of affairs on earth. Many of the
angels–Gabriel, Michael, and others had been on earth on many an occasion.
They had seen for themselves the sources of God’s lament and shared God’s
concern.

“I
think the only thing left is for one of you, a member of the heavenly court, to
go down to earth. Live with them, not just for a moment, but every day. Get to
know them, become one of them, live with them, and let them get to know you.
Only then will heaven’s intent be truly communicated to them. Only then will
they take notice of the great gap between the way they have been living and the
way they were created. Only then will we be able to reveal to them who I
created them to be.”

The
angels stood in awkward silence. They had been to earth before, to deliver
messages from God or to effect some momentary intervention in human affairs. They
weren’t about to volunteer for long term duty in such a murderous, difficult
place.

The
silence lasted for an eternity. Finally, God broke the silence. Quietly,
determinedly, but without resignation and no bitterness, God said, “Then I will
go.”